Records, tattoos and manure cake

This was one of the very first records I sold online. The purchaser lives in Queensland, Link is his name, and he is a fan of eighties pop. He bought a few discs, and we exchanged some emails. I asked why he was into the eighties stuff: was he, like me, there at the time?

It turned out, no: “I’m a young hooligan I am! A ‘93 baby but really into 80s pop and progressive rock/60s stuff. Bit all over the place. But getting really passionate about record collecting … I’m also a giant Back to the Future fan (my first tattoo was a flux capacitor) and I saw the ‘Power of Love’ 45 without the sleeve and thought I could make a customised art sleeve for it, considering they made ‘Power of Love’ just for the movie.”

It so happened that all this occurred in October 2015. Back to the Future Day was 21 October – and a few days later I sent a message to check the records had arrived okay, and asked if he had done anything special for the day. Link replied: “I Did! Me and my friend dressed up as Marty McFly and Doc Brown and watched all three movies. She made a manure cake cause a version of Biff gets covered in manure every movie. Turned out super poopy and delicious! xD And a matter of fact I did get a brand new hoverboard.”

Now, I am a slightly square guy in middle age, who has no tattoos and no desire for one. I remember Huey Lewis and Back to the Future from the first time around, and they have a certain nostalgia value but they are not my passion. But they are for Link, who is also clearly not a man to stop the body art at just one flux capacitator.

And that is the beauty of Planet Vinyl: everyone is welcome, and everyone is respected. And nothing makes me happier than when someone who really does appreciate a record finds it online. So, Link, this one is for you!